


Soft as Water

by Alexandria (heartfullofelves)



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: Bathtubs, Evil Xena - Freeform, F/F, The Debt era, Xena and her hot baths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-26 14:02:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17747237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartfullofelves/pseuds/Alexandria
Summary: Lao Ma has a bath. Xena joins her.





	Soft as Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mytha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mytha/gifts).



The warm bathwater enveloped Lao Ma like a lover’s embrace. She sat with her back against the wall and closed her eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. The water helped calm her after her futile attempts to get Xena to let go of all her hatred and just be. It saddened Lao Ma that Xena had no self-restraint, no control over her emotions. Instead, she let her passions rule her, causing her to want to destroy everything in sight, even herself.

Lao Ma sighed, breathing in the scent of the candles that lit the room. She wondered if she should heal Xena’s broken legs, if that act of compassion would help Xena. No, she should request something from her first.

The sound of quiet footsteps, as if someone were trying to tiptoe into the room, made her open her eyes. It didn’t surprise her at all to see Xena standing by the bath, watching her.

“Did you mean to startle me?” asked Lao Ma.

Xena gave that evil smirk of hers. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you like to shock people, Xena. Come, why don’t you bathe with me?”

Raising her eyebrows in her usual sardonic way, Xena tugged off her silk robe, which Lao Ma had given to her, making sure Lao Ma got an eyeful of her naked body. Xena limped over to the bath and sank into the water. Lao Ma winced as water splashed in her face.

“Happy?” Xena said.

Lao Ma shook her head. “I will be happy when you are no longer a slave to your desires.”

Xena clicked her tongue, grabbing a bar of soap and moving it over her skin. “Why do you care so much? You trying to save my soul or something?”

A sad smile touched Lao Ma’s lips. Xena thought the idea of anyone caring about her was absurd. But Lao Ma did not keep Xena here just because she cared about her.

“We could work well together,” she said. “You have skills that would help me, and there are things I can do for you in return.”

“Do any of those things include kissing me in this bath again?” Xena’s lip curled.

“That was not on my mind,” Lao Ma lied, both of them thinking back to when she had hidden Xena under the bathwater and kissed her to give her air. She would kiss her again, if Xena proved herself deserving.

Lao Ma took a bar of soap in her hand. “I can give you a worthy position. You would want for nothing, and you’d have the freedom to pass through this kingdom as you choose.”

Xena remained unconvinced.

“I’m not asking you to put down your sword,” Lao Ma said, soaping herself. “Only to wield it with a different purpose.”

Sure enough, this made Xena smile. “Are you propositioning me?”

Lao Ma chuckled, understanding both of the meanings that lay in Xena’s words. “We’ll come to an agreement. But there is no hurry.”

She washed the soap off her body, then picked up a jug of water, handing it to Xena. “Will you help me wash my hair?”

With a slight frown, Xena took the jug and poured it over Lao Ma’s head, echoing when Lao Ma had done the same for her. Lao Ma closed her eyes, tilting her head so the water didn’t get in her face. It was as she washed her long, thick hair that she thought of a way to test Xena. She knew Xena would hate the idea, but it would be good for her. It would be good for them both. Lao Ma fell silent as she composed a plan.

Xena interrupted her thoughts. “What are you thinking?” she asked, putting the jug on the side of the bath with a clunk.

Lao Ma gazed at Xena and laid a soft hand on her bare shoulder. “I’m thinking about what we’re going to do next.”


End file.
